Half-Day Saqqara Pyramids and Memphis Tour: Explore Ancient Egypt from Cairo
5.0
55 Ratings
Dokki
Discover the wonders of ancient Egypt on a half-day tour from Cairo. Visit the Saqqara Pyramids and the ancient city of Memphis, and marvel at the world's oldest stone pyramid and the remnants of a once colossal city.
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Saqqara (Sakkara) Pyramids - Located approximately 30 km south of modern-day Cairo, Saqqara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt with the world’s oldest standing step pyramid. It’s the first stop on our private day tour from Cairo, and certainly is an impressive way to start the day. Designed by Imhotep for King Djoser (c.2667-2648 BC), the Step Pyramid is the oldest complete stone-hewn building complex known in history, and is surrounded by other small pyramids dating back to the 5th and 6th Dynasties.

Although Saqqara was eclipsed as the burial ground of royalty by Giza and the Valley of the Kings in Thebes (near Luxor), it remained an important complex for burials and cult ceremonies for more than 3,000 years.

  • Temple de Ptah - Memphis - Next up, we’re off to Memphis, which functioned as the ancient capital of Lower Egypt and of the Old Kingdom of Egypt from its foundation until around 2200 BC. The modern towns of Dahshur and Saqqara lie within the administrative borders of historical Memphis. Wander around, explore, and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of some really, really old cities. Careful not to stand in place for too long - you might mummify!
What's Included
  • Tips on local attractions and dining
  • Tour the iconic Saqqara pyramids
  • Explore historic Memphis, Egypt’s ancient capital
  • Air-conditioned transport included
  • Saqqara and Memphis entrance fees included
  • Guided by a local English-speaking expert
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
Additional Information

View the pyramids and sites of early ancient Egypt on this enthralling half-day tour from Cairo. With an expert guide, travel in an air-conditioned vehicle to Saqqara to see the magnificent Step Pyramid of Zoser, the world’s oldest stone pyramid. Continue to the site of Memphis, the ancient capital of Lower Egypt, to view what remains of this once colossal city. Admire its relics in the open-air museum, including a giant, fallen statue of Ramses II. These lesser known, but fascinating sites attract fewer tourists, making them wonderful to explore.

  • Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.
  • Maximum private group size is 12
  • Please dress modestly, yet considering the heat. Shoulders and knees should be covered, and light fabrics like cotton are advisable.
  • During Ramadan, the koshary restaurant may not be open. In that case, the koshary dish will be replaced by falafel sandwiches.
Location
Pharaohs Hotel
Lotfy Hassouna
Pharaohs Hotel, 12 Lotfy Hassouna, St, Dokki, Giza Governorate
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(55 Ratings)
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149johnm149
Mar 5, 2024
A perfect introduction to Egypt - Truly excellent day! Our guide Mina was informative, friendly and offered a fantastic overall experience. We opted to add a visit to the Dahshur pyramids at the last moment, and they were completely accommodating. Can't recommend more highly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X8209pjgeoffd
Feb 13, 2024
Memphis & Saqqara - highly recommended as a starting point to see Egypt - My Wife & I went on this tour of Memphis & Saqqara and ended up being the only ones booked, so we essentially had a private tour. Our tour guide, Mina, was excellent! His passion and knowledge for all things Egypt was exceptional and he was always willing to help and answer questions. Memphis was great, seeing the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara was quite surreal and then going into the Pyramid of Unas had some real wow moments. Thankyou Mina for being such a fantastic guide and person. We'll treasure this tour for a long time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelgz9421ms
Jan 28, 2024
A must before you visit the Great Pyramid - Fantastic tour - our guide brought the Step Pyramid to life with his story about how Upper and Lower Egypt were brought together - a step back in time
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U5852yffionaw
Jan 21, 2024
A great tour and & fantastic guide - highly recommend - I joined a couple of other people on this tour with Mina as our guide. Mina was absolutely fantastic - knowledgeable and passionate as well as extremely helpful. I would recommend Mina 100%. I'm so glad I added this visit to Saqqara & Memphic to my Egypt trip - Saqqara ended up one of my faviourite places in Egypt!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
619terria
Dec 20, 2023
Memphis and Sawqara Experience - Well worth the short (and breathtaking) trip. Found it better than the Giza Pyramids. Highly recommend. Best to use a Guide as they will greatly enhance the experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort617326
Oct 15, 2023
Saqqara and Memphis - Great introduction to Egypt with thd paintings, carvings and relief work on the walls. The Rameses II statue at Memphis is wonderful. Our guide Noha was excellent
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andyha
Oct 9, 2023
Great day out. A must day trip. - My husband and I did the Memphis and Saqqara tour with our guide Mina and it was excellent. The passion he had for his homeland and it’s history, people and culture was evident. He went the extra mile to ensure our experience was both fun and informative. Thank you Mina for a 10/10 experience, we could not recommend Mina more highly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cpass1082
Sep 16, 2023
Great history and sights - Mina, the tour guide, was the best! He had a wealth of knowledge about Egypt and the history, very friendly and polite. Would recommend seeing Memphis and Saqqara if you have the opportunity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chloe
Sep 13, 2023
Highly recommend! - This was a fantastic tour! Gouda did an amazing job of explaining the history of the sites we visited, as well as an overview of the origins of ancient egyptian gods and goddesses. He did well to make sure we avoided the crowds as much as possible, and took some great photos. Thank you, Gouda!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D5161kucarolineh
Sep 13, 2023
Excellent tour - Mina was one of the best tour guides I’ve ever had! He was extremely knowledgeable, open to any questions and tailored the tour to our preferences. Would highly recommend Saqqara!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 12 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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